The long range goal of this research is to gain insight into the neural organization and mechanisms underlying motivation. It utilizes feeding behavior in Aplysia as a simplified model system. The current grant will investigate two issues: 1) What is the neural organization of a system that controls an appetitive, relatively nonstereotyped behavior such as orientation to food? 2) How is sensory input regulated during various motivational states? These questions could have relevance to both disorders of movement as well as of disorders of regulation of motivated behaviors (e.g., bulimia, obesity, and anorexia nervosa).